diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2273d788
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+
+# common flags used in openocd build
+AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src \
+			  -I$(top_builddir)/src \
+			  -DPKGDATADIR=\"$(pkgdatadir)\"
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 19a0ba96c..c2d37c101 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
+
 SUBDIRS = \
 	jtag \
 	helper \
@@ -29,12 +31,6 @@ noinst_HEADERS = \
 	hello.h \
 	openocd.h
 
-
-# set the include path found by configure
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
-
 libopenocd_la_CPPFLAGS = -DPKGBLDDATE=\"`date +%F-%R`\"
 
 # banner output includes RELSTR appended to $VERSION from the configure script
diff --git a/src/flash/Makefile.am b/src/flash/Makefile.am
index 9d983a8d9..ece401837 100644
--- a/src/flash/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/flash/Makefile.am
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
+
 SUBDIRS = \
 	nor \
 	nand
 
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
-
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libflash.la
 libflash_la_SOURCES = \
diff --git a/src/flash/nand/Makefile.am b/src/flash/nand/Makefile.am
index 8ea7b362d..9aa0e69f1 100644
--- a/src/flash/nand/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/flash/nand/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libocdflashnand.la
 
diff --git a/src/flash/nor/Makefile.am b/src/flash/nor/Makefile.am
index 852c0a379..e281c22bf 100644
--- a/src/flash/nor/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/flash/nor/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libocdflashnor.la
 libocdflashnor_la_SOURCES = \
diff --git a/src/helper/Makefile.am b/src/helper/Makefile.am
index c72188191..25585a489 100644
--- a/src/helper/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/helper/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src \
-	-DPKGDATADIR=\"$(pkgdatadir)\"
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libhelper.la
diff --git a/src/jtag/Makefile.am b/src/jtag/Makefile.am
index 59cd8ffff..fa964a352 100644
--- a/src/jtag/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/jtag/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libjtag.la
diff --git a/src/jtag/drivers/Makefile.am b/src/jtag/drivers/Makefile.am
index 058812654..f3d5ab052 100644
--- a/src/jtag/drivers/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/jtag/drivers/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libocdjtagdrivers.la
 
diff --git a/src/pld/Makefile.am b/src/pld/Makefile.am
index 3993622e6..93b79f4a1 100644
--- a/src/pld/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/pld/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libpld.la
diff --git a/src/server/Makefile.am b/src/server/Makefile.am
index ac24ebb55..a7c318ce6 100644
--- a/src/server/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/server/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src \
-	-DPKGDATADIR=\"$(pkgdatadir)\"
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libserver.la
diff --git a/src/svf/Makefile.am b/src/svf/Makefile.am
index 398f9676d..3a14d2087 100644
--- a/src/svf/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/svf/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libsvf.la
diff --git a/src/target/Makefile.am b/src/target/Makefile.am
index 1e29ae7d5..537c8c317 100644
--- a/src/target/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/target/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 if OOCD_TRACE
 OOCD_TRACE_FILES = oocd_trace.c
@@ -5,10 +6,6 @@ else
 OOCD_TRACE_FILES =
 endif
 
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
-
 BIN2C		= $(top_builddir)/src/helper/bin2char$(EXEEXT_FOR_BUILD)
 
 DEBUG_HANDLER	= $(srcdir)/xscale/debug_handler.bin
diff --git a/src/xsvf/Makefile.am b/src/xsvf/Makefile.am
index f96331cd5..1b9cfab00 100644
--- a/src/xsvf/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/xsvf/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-AM_CPPFLAGS = \
-	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
-	-I$(top_builddir)/src
+include $(top_srcdir)/common.mk
 
 METASOURCES = AUTO
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = libxsvf.la